Felling machine for joining fabric sections



Jan. 15, 1935. c, 5;. THOMPSON 7 1,988,401

FELLTNG MACHINE FOR JOINING FABRIC SECTIONS Filed July 12, 1933 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Jan. 15, 1935. Q 5 THOMPSON 1,988,401

FELLING MACHINE FOR JOINING FABRIC SECTIONS File July 12, 1935 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Jan. 15, 1935 UNITED sTAr ES I FELLING" MACHINE"FOR JOININGQFABRIC' j SECTIONS I I Charles Thompson, Elmhurst, 111,assignor to Union SpeciaLMachine CompanYLChicago IlL,

a corporation'ofIllinois; .1

. Application July 12Q1933; Serial No.' 630,127

11 Claims; (01, 1125151).

The invention relates Go-new and useful improvements in a'fellingmachine for joining fabric sections, and more particularly totheconstruc tion of the 'presser foot used therein. In my ap- 5plications'Serial Nos. 633,898 and 633,899, filed September '19, 1932;there "is shown, described and claimed a felling machine wherein thefabric sections are gripped at each sideof {the interfolded Iparts'ofthe-seam for the'feeding of the'fabric sections; I

An object of the present invention is to provide amachine of the abovetype with a presser foot having means cooperating with the foot to gripthe fabric sections at each side of the interfolded portions, and asection located directly above the interfolded portionsforcontrollingthe feed of the same, and in particular during the passing of crossseamsfwhich section may be locked-in aset position or may yie1d,'andmaybe placed either so that it is normally in contact with the inter.folded fabric sections'or spaced above the same. A further object of theinvention is to provide a felling machine withfa presser foot havingfabric engaging sectionsjarranged tintandem wherein said'sectionsarepivot'allyimounted'on a supportingyoke which" in turn is pivotallymounted on the presser bar,"an d wherein there is means carried bythepresserbar for preventing undue swinging of the yoke when the footsections are raised for the insertion or removal of the ma-' terial. .1.A, still further. object. of the. invention is tofpro- -vide a fellingmachine of the above type wherein the front section of the presser footis lpivotally supported on a supporting yoke and f'yieldi held in asubstantially horizontal position."

' Inthedrawings-f-r f Figure 1 is a view of a portion" of a machine 40,showing my improvements applied thereto i 'Fig, 2 isa sectional viewv onthe line 2-. 2 of Fig.1; 1

Fig. 3 is a'sect'ionalvievv on th'eline 3-3 of Fig.2; v N

Fig. 4 isva bottom plan view of the presser foot; Fig. 5 is a verticalsectional view in the line of feed; and I Fig.6 is a transversesectional view showing a modified form of arrangementof .the portions ofthe foot engaging the fabric sectionsat the-op posite sides of theinterfolded portions.

The invention is directed to amachine' for.

joining the edges .of fabric sections bya felled seam. Itwincludes afolder for overfolding the 5 edge portion of. one fabric section and forunder-.

ngly'v may also be locked in a set position.

folding the edge portion of'the other'fabric sece tion, and theinterenga'ging o'f the folded portions; The stitching mechanism; asillustrated; includes three needles, and preferablythere" is a looperwhich cooperates with eachneedle, so as to form 5 independent linesof-stitching. The material is fed across the work support by afeeding-mechanism includinga" four-motion feed dog'. The material ish'eld'on the work supportby; a presser foot which includes two fabriceng gi g-s e- W tions operating in tandemi The fedflog'ghas' feedingsections cooperating witheach of the fabric engaging-sections onthepresser foot. The presser foot; the throatplateIand thefee'ding'sections are so constructed as to gripthe fabric sections" independentlyatopposite sides of the interfolded portions of thefabric sections forthe feeding-ofthe ame; Eachsection of the; presser foothas a"cha'nne1therethrough to receive and guide the int'erfolded portions of thefabric sec-" tions. There are sections of the feed dogj'engaging theinterfoldedportions of the'fabric'sec tions on the under face thereof;'Iheiirearfsec. tion of the presser foot is-pr'ovidedwitha shift ablesection which is located: in the channel,"re.- ceiving and "directingthe-interfolded portionsof "the fabric sections. J This member may beyieldingly pressed toward ithe fabric. sections and I an adjustablestop'is' provided for limiting its downward movementso that saidyielding section may befcaused to engage, if desired,the -interf ed tmwork sl y ac ve the samefand only opei'ated whe n a cross seampasses toeng g -and aid in the feedin'g'of the fabric sec? tions during thepassing of such cross seam; It

. It -"fi Q shthe nv nti n i beib t fr n-i derstood' by-a detaildescription of the jillusj trated embodiment thereof; 'In'thedrawingsjthe sewing machine isshown asfincludingafsupporting base 1which extends lipwa lyf l lthe form of a standard "2 A needle headj3'is' car ried by an overhanging portion mounted on the standard, and thework supporting arm 4 is suspended from the-standard. lihe machinaas.shown, is of the type illustrated'in the patent grantedNorman V.Christensen et 9.1,; Decembe the machineis not thought'necessary. v i

Mounted on the'worksupporting armis a fold er 5 which is of theusual-type and consists of two cooperating sections, one ofwhichoverfolds' the under fabric section and the other of whichunderfolds the upper fabricsection. These folded portions are directedso th'at they areinte'r 24; 1929 #1,'74.1,09.5, and further.description'.jof a specti'vexfabrio sections for the feeding (of thesame. Beneath this shiftable'portion.35 is-the section 44 of. the feeddog, and when said portion 35 conta'cts withthe.interfoldedfabricsections bya cross seam passing through the machine; then the feeddog. section 44 will aid in the feeding :of the interfolded stitchedtogether portions of the fabric sections. InFig. 6 of the drawingsthereis shown a slightly modified formn'of presserr foot, throat plateand-feed dog,wherein the portion43 of the presser foot is on the samelevel-as the portion 42. 'I'hethroat plate is 'of the same'height atopposite sidesof "the interfolded portions of the fabric; and the feed:dog. is correspondingly shaped so thatthe fabric sections at each sideof theinterfoldedportions thereof will be gripped for'theprincipalfeedin'g of the fabric sections. The shiftable portion 35 is ofthe same construction'asthat described above, and operates in the samemanner. In this figure ofthe drawings, this shiftable'portion' is shownin a set position spaced above the fabric sections. under normalinterfolding conditions. 1 I

The yoke 18 is capable of a limited movement on its pivotal connection.20. Directly above the yoke areshoulders 45 which are spaced slightlyabove said yoke, and said shoulder is-out of contact with the yoke whenthetwo foot sectionsv are pressed into contact with the. smooth surfaceof the throat plate, or into contact'witlifabric sections of uniformthickness. When a fabric section isled beneath the front portion of thefoot, it can be bodily raised, and'the yokeiwill swing on the rearsection of the foot to :permit this easy passing of the fabricsections-beneath the foot. The pivotal connectionpermits this swingingof the yoke while the presser barmoves in a vertical direction. The sameis true when the fabric is passing from beneath'the rear section of thefoot. It will be elevated;'although' the front section'moves down on tothe throat plate, and will" properly hold and control the fabricsections until they arefed from beneath the'foot. Theyoke will alsopermit thefoot sections to raise'and lower to accommodate 'cross'seamsas.

they pass first beneath one and then the other of the foot'sec'tions'lhese shoulderswill prevent abnormalswinging of the yoke'when the footsections are raised clear of the work support for the insertion orremoval-of: material. The

shoulders limit the swinging movement and maintain the foot sectionssubstantially on the same level!" It is obvious that from the spirit ofthe invention, as set forth in the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-- 1. In a felling machine, the combinationof a work support, a feeding deviceand a presser foot,

said presser foot including a front section, a rear fabric sections.

2. In a felling machine, the combination of a work support, a feedingdevice and a presser foot, said presser foot including a front section,a rear minor changes in the detailsv of construction may be made withoutdeparting,

section, apivoted yoke to 'which said sections are independentlypivoted, each section of the presser foot having a channel in its underface forre-.

ceiving-and directing: the interfolded portions of v the fabricsections, said rear sectionof the presser foot: having a shiftableportion in saidvcha'nn'el, a supporting stem to'which saidshiftableportion is fixed, means. for supporting said stem on'said rear section:of the'foot so that .it moves in a direc-r work support, afeedingdevice and a presserfoot,

said presser foot including a. front section,,a rear section,apivotedyoketowhich said sections are independentlypivoted, each sectionof the presser foot having a channel in its under face for re-' ceivingand directing the interfolded portions of,

the fabric sections, said rear section of the presser foot having ayielding 'portion insaid channel, a

supportingstem to which said yieldingxportion is fixed, meansforsupporting said stem on said rear sectionof theifoot' sothat it movesin a direc-' tion-at right angles to the fabric'engaging sec'- tion ofsaid foot, *a'c'ollar havinga threaded conmotion. to said stemandservingas a stop-for limiting the downwardmo-vement of 'saidyieldingforcingthestem downward. r l

4. In a felling niachinepth combination of' a work support, a feedingdevice and a'pres'ser foot, 7

said presser footincluding'a front section, a rear section, a pivotedyoketowhichsai'd sections are independently pivoted, each section of thepresser foot having a channel in its underface for receiving' anddirecting the interfolded portions of the fabric sectionssaid rearsection of the presser foot having a yielding portion insaid'channel, asupporting stem to which said yielding portion is fixed, means forsupportinglsaid stemon said rear section- 0f the'foot so that it movesin-a direction at'right angles to the fabric engaging sectionofsaidfoot, 'a collar having a threaded connection tosaid stem 'and -serving'asa' stop for limiting the downwardm'ovement of said yielding portion,a'nda sprin'g bearing on said collar for forcing the'stem downward, saidcollar having grooves formed therein adapted to house the spring forpreventing-the turning of the collaron the ste hen said spring is inengagement therew t go; -5;. 12.

5. In a felling machine, the combination of a work support, a feedingdevice, a presser foot, a presser bar, said presser foot including afront section and a rear section arranged in tandem,.a

yoke to which said sections are independently pivoted, means forpivotally connecting said yoke to said presser bar, a spring carried bysaid yoke and bearing on the front sectionof-the presser foot foryieldingly holding said front section in a predetermined set position,and a spring carried by said yoke and bearing on the rear section of thepresser foot for normally holding the front end thereof yieldinglydepressed.

6. In a felling machine, the combination of a work support, a feedingdevice, a presser foot, apresser bar, said presser foot including afront section and a rear section arranged in tandem, a yoke to whichsaid sections are independently pivoted, means for pivotally connectingsaid yoke to said presser bar, shoulders carried by said presser barabove said yoke and limiting the turning,

30. portion,- and aspringbearing-onsaid collarfor 7 section. anda rearsection arranged in tandem, a yoke to which said sections are.independently pivoted, means for pivotally connectingsaid yoke to saidpresser bar, shoulders carriedby said presser .bar above said yokeandlimiting the turning movement of the yokeron its pivotal connection,a spring carried by said yoke and bearing on the front section of saidpressersfoot foryieldingly holding said-frontsection in a predeterminedset position on saidyoke, and'a spring carried bysaid yoke and bearingon the rear section of the presser foot for normally'holding the frontend thereof yieldingly depressed. Y

8. In afellingmachine, thecombination of a work support,asfeedingudevice a .presser foot, apresser bar, said presser. footincludingla front section and a rear section, arranged in tandem, a yoketo which said sectionsgare independently pivoted,means iorpivotally,connecting said yoke to said presser banand shoulders carried by saidpresser bar above said yoke-and limiting the turningmovement of the yokeonits pivotalconnection ,,each of said presserfoot sectionshaving achannel in its under face for receivingzand directing the interfoldedportions of iabric sections, said rear section of. the 'presser, foothaving a yielding portion in said'channel directly above the interfoldedportions ,of thefabric. sec.-

, 9. -,In a felling machine, zthe combination of a; work support,,alfeedingrdevice, a presser'foot,

a presserbar, saidnpresser ifoot including a' front section-and a rearV'sectionjarranged in tandem,

a' yoke to whichsaid sections are independently I pivoted,means-fonpivotally connectingsaidyoke foot sectionin a'directionat'right angles to the fabric engaging-face of the foot section,"acollar threadedlabovesaid stem and limiting the downward movementthereof, and a spring carried by. said rear foot section and bearing onsaid collar for forcingthe stem downward. 10. 'In afelling machine,thecombination of a' work support, a feedingdevicaa presser foot, a presserban'said presser foot including a, front section anda rearccsectionarranged in tandem, a yoketo which said sectionsare independentlypivoted; means for pivotallyiconnecting saidyoke to'said. presser; bar,shou1 ders carried by said presser. bar above said yokeoand limiting theturningmovement of the yoke-on its pivotal'com nection, each section ofthe presser foot havins a channel in itsunder face for'receiving. and

means for guiding said stem on said presser foot section in a directionat right angles to the fabric engaging :face' of the .foot section, acollar threaded'above said stem andlimiting the down-,

ward movement thereof,land a springrcarriedby said'reartfoot sectionand. bearing on said collar for forcing the-stem downward, said collarhaving grooves formed therein for receiving and housin the spring,whereby when-saidspring is in en gagement with the collar, said springwill hold said collar from rotating on said stem.

a 11. In a felling machirrathecombination oiv a. work support, a feedingdevice and, a presser foot-,- said presserfoot including a frontsection, a rear section, a pivoted yoke topwhich said sections arevindependently pivoted, each section of the presser foot having a channelin its under face for receiving. and directing the interfoldedportionsof ,thefa'bric sections, said rear section of the presser foothaving a shiftable portion in said channeha supporting stem to whichsaid ,shiftable portion isfixed, means for supportingsaid stem-on saidrear section of the foot so'that it moves in a direction at right anglestothe fabric engaging'section of. said footra, spring bearing on thestem fon-yieldingly pressing said portion downwardly, ,anadjustable stopforlimiting the downward movement '01? said shiftable portion, and meanswhereby, said shiftable portion may be locked in a setposition. v

CHARLES s. THOMPSON.

